Water-closet and similar receptacles



(No Model.)

J. P. PUTNAM.

WATER CLOSET AND SIMILAR REGEPTAGLE. No. 285,924. Patented Oct. 2, 1883.

Wm??? I Inventor: 2% 77.1. AZ

N. PETERS. Pmwuma m. Washmgmn. D. c.

UNITED STATES tries PATENT WATER-CLOSET AND SIMILAR RECEPTACLES.

eIPECIFICA'IION forming part of Letters Patent. No. 285,924, datedOctober 2, 1883.

Application filed January 12,1883. (No model.)

To ILZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN PIOKERING Per NAM,of Boston, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in ater-Closets, Slop-Sinks, and Similar Receptacles, ofwhich the following is a specification.

One part of the invention consistsin the employment, with the basin of aWilIOPOlOSOtor similar receptacle, of a bent pipe or passageway forflushingwater, one arm of which enters the basin at any required placeto deliver the flushing-water, while the bend in thepipe or passagewayis so far below the delivery end as to be normally full of water; and adis tinct feature of this portion of the invention consists in narrowingthe said bent pipe or passage-way at some place below or near the normalwater-level therein in such manner that the flushing-water will risenoiselessly in the delivery-arm.

Another part of the invention consists in a basin for a water-closet orsimilar receptacle,

provided with an inlet for upper flushing and an inlet for lowerflushing, both opening out of a single main inlet, whereby but one jointor connection is required to join the closet or similar receptacle withthe source of watersupply.

Another part of the invention relates to the breaking up, under water,of the lower flushing-stream of a water-closet or similar receptacleinto several minute streams to increase the force or effectiveness ofthe flushing. In the construction shown. the wall of the basin becomes aportion of one of the walls of the passage way for introducing theflushingstream, and contains several small holes to break up theflushing-stream under the waterlevel, and extend, as it were, its fieldof force in driving from the trap the water already there, and whateverelse the trap may 0011- tain; but although this detail of constructionforms one of the subordinate features of the invention, and is thesubject-matter of one or more of the claims, the main object of thisbranch of the invention could be accomplished without departing from theinvention by inserting in the wall of the trap, below the water-level,the end of a supply-pipe with a rose nozzle thereon. A stream actingupon a body of water to force it from the vessel in which it is heldwill be much more effective when broken within the body of water thanwhen broken before reaching it. In the latter case each small streamloses part of its force through the resistance of the air, while thereis no such loss when the stream is broken up under the water, and theforce may be distributed to the greatest advantage, and when, as in theapparatus shown, the area of a crosssection of the supply-pipe is largerthan the aggregate area of the openings in the said wall, or in therose-nozzle to be substituted therefor, each opening becomes, as itwere, independent of the others, and has substantially the same force itwould have if it were the only outlet of a large head of water. Theadvantage accompanying the breaking up of a large flushing-stream intoseveral smallstrcams lies in the fact that the reservoir from which thelarge. supply-pipe takes its water may be'placed at a much lower levelthan when a pipe is used whose area in crosssection does not exceed orbut little exceeds the area of its outlet or the combined area of upperflushin g, also, independent of any means.

for the lower flushing, or any connection therewith, the passage-ways,or the delivery-arm of the supply-pipe, is, as it were, an intervenin gwater-chamber between the main portion of the supply-pipe and the basin,and since this intervening chamber is normally filled with water toabove its connection with the main portion of the supply pipe, and isadapted to hold a body of water sufficient to check the direct flow ofthe flushing-stream before overflowing, thereby preventing noise, afresh supply of water for the upper flushing will rise slowly andnoiselessly therein, as hereinafter described.

Other parts of the invention relate to details of construction.

In the drawings I have represented my improvements as applied to awater-closet adapted to be sealed by water. As will hereinafter appear,thedip of the bent passage-way, before mentioned, is below the level ofthe seal, while a wall of the basin proper is made to serve as a portionof the wall of said passageway, and perforations therein admit waterinto the basin and trap from the lower part of the passage-way below thelevel of the seal and independent of the water entering the basin abovethe seal from the delivery-arm of the said passage-way.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of so much of an apparatus pertaining toa water-closet as is sufficient to illustratemy improvements. Fig.

2 is a plan of the same on line a: m of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is averticalsection on linexw of 1.

A is an outer shell or casting, open at the top, as shown, for thereception of the basin proper, as will hereinafter appear, and havingtwo hollow arms, one, a, being adapted to receive the water-supply pipeB and forming a part of the inlet passage-way, while the other,

a, forms a port-ion of the trap and outletpassagexvay, and is adapted toreceive the outletpipe 0, communicating with the sewer. Near the top ofthe casting A, on the inner side, is a ledge, Z, to form thebottom of awater way or trough, as will hereinafter appear.

D is a hollow glass tube inserted in the hollow arm a, as a liningthereof, from the inside of the shell or casting A. The tubeD may be ofclear glass and the arm a have an opening,

as shown in dotted lines, to form a window for the observation of thecontents of the tube; but this fornrof construction, although set forthin one of the claims as a subdivision of my invention, is not essentialin carrying out the main features of my invention.

E is the basin proper, its neck passing through a hole in acorresponding neck or contraction of the outer shell, A, and making atight joint with the tube D at b, as shown. This joint is without theline of vision from the top of the basin, in order that it may notappear that the basin andv tube are of different materials whensuch isthe case, and also that the cement or other material forming the jointmay not be seen. As is obvious, the neck of the basin E and the hollowarm a form a trap. V

The flaring portion of the basin E rests upon the inner surface of theshell A for the most part, and is made watertight therewith; but justabove the entrance of the passage-way a a space, 0, is leftbetween thebasin E and shell A, to form a continuation of the passage-way for theflushing-water. The ledge Z is so cut away as not to interfere with thepassageway c, and the upper edge of the basin E extendsabove the ledgeZ, as shown. A considerable portion of the passage-way 0 thus formed bythe walls of the basin E and shell A lies below the water-level or thelevel of the seal, which is determined by the lower edge of the hollowarm a, and a cross-section of the passage-way c, at some place belowthis waterlevel, should be narrower than any cross-sec- \tion of theinlet-passage a, in order that water rising in the passageway 0 may doso noiselessly; In the apparatus shownthe narrowest part of thepassage-way is at its mouth at, communicating with the main passage-waya, and in this month is placed a valve, 21, to regulate the flow ofwater from the passage (1. into the passage 0. The two passageways a andc, with a portion of the supply-pipe 13, form together the bentpassage-way mentioned in the statement of the invention, and may beregarded as a U-shaped pipe or passage-way having its curve or dip belowthe level of the mouth of its delivery-arm.

F is a flushing-rim, its lower edge being within and just below theupper edge of the basin E, and a flange at its upper edge or surfaceresting upon a flange, at, at the upper edge or rim of the shell A.

The operation of that part of the invention thus far described andindependent of means for throwing water directly into the basin or trapbelow thelevel of the seal is as follows: Let the bent portion of theU-shaped passageway be normally full of water to above the level of themouth in or narrow place. Vhen a further supply is admitted in anysuitable manner through the pipe B, it will rise slowly in thepassageway 0 until it comes to the level of the ledge I. Then,continuing to rise slowly in the passage-way c, it will fill thecircular passage way or trough (marked 0) which is formed by the ledgeZ, the upper portion of the basin E, and the upper portion of the shellA, until it flows over the upper edge. of the basin E, around its entirecircumference. The greater the holding capacity of the passage-way c orof the trough c, or of both together, the more slowly and noiselesslywill the water rise, as aforesaid.

It is obvious that when the supply of fresh water is cut off in the pipeB the trough 0' will remain full of water, and so, also, the passage way0, unless means are supplied for drawing off the water. The manner andthe purpose for which this is done will hereinafter be explained inconnection with the description of the combination referred to in thestatement of the invention; but it is proper to here observe that thewater so remaining may be utilized for maintaining the seal of basinindependent of water introduced directly into the basin and trap. Itwill be observed that the square form of the casting A-increases thecapacity of the trough 0, since the ledge lextends into the corners ofthe casting.

the wall of the basin E a portion of the water entering through thepassage a may be thrown directly into the lower portion of the trap ortube to operate upon and remove the contents thereof throughthedischarge-pipe C, while a portion rises in the passage-way c, asbefore set forth; but for this purpose I have made in end of the tube D,a number of holes, 8 s, the combined area of which, however, isconsider- It is obvious that by cutting a hole through the basin E,substantially opposite the lower IIO ably smaller than the area of across-section of the entrance-pipeB; and it may be added that thediameter of the holes 8 s is less than the thickness of the basin E.Each hole thus serves as a small pipe or nozzle, and may be made tothrow its stream into the trap in any required and independentdirection, and with increased force. To avoid having the basin of thethickness throughout necessary to give the holes the proper length, Ithicken the basin where they are to be made. This is easily done whenmaking the basin of iron. It being somewhat diiflcult to make properholes in the basin when the latter is of glass, I cause a glass basin tobe blown with small sen1iglobular projections g at the lower portion ofthe neck, and then make a hole 3 in any required direction in eachthickened portion of the ill glass. These holes may be conveniently madewholly or in part by punching them through the glass in its heated orsoft state.

In the operation of the full or ent-ire apparatus shown, when a freshsupply of water dcscends through the supply-pipe B a portion of it,including some of the water already in the passage-way a, will pass withgreat force through the holes 8, to overcome the inertia of the contentsof the trap, acting against such contents and the walls of the trap inseveral directions, though mainly in a direction toward the overflow endof the trap, while water will also rise slowly and noiselessly in thepassageway c, to flush the upper portions of the basin E, as alreadydescribed. It is obvious that the passage-way c and the trough openingout of it serve as a retarding-chamber, so that, although the waterforboth flushings is let on at the same time, the upper-flushing waterdoes not flow over the upper edge of the basin until the level of thewater in the basin has been substantially lowered. When the fresh supplyof water is cut off from the pipe B, suflicient of the water leftstanding in the reservoir formed by the passage-ways c and a will fallback through the passageway c and pass through the holes 8 s, to restorethe water-seal of the basin and trap; and if the said reservoir is madeof suifleient capacity, the tendency of the water therein to fall backwill at all times keep the level of the water in the trap above theperforations s, so that the fresh water passing through these holes willdo so with little noise.

The shape of the basin E is of considerable importance. It will beobserved that the walls of the basin, near the top, are substantiallyperpendicular and that immediately below the perpendicular portion theytake in cross-section the shape substantially of an ogee curve, as shownat it, so that water flowing down the perpendicular walls will turn atif, still fol lowing the wall, but will be thrown off at i, so as tostrike at about the center t of the neck of the basin. This prevents theeddying of water in the neck, and insures the immediate and certaindischarge of matters floating in the water; and if the neck of the basinbe at all times full of water, as mentioned above, there will be butlittle noise from either the upper or the lower flushing.

Although I describe and claim, as subordinate parts of my invention,certain features of construction, it is obvious that the exact form ofconstruction shown and described is not essential to the embodiment ofthe more important features of my invention in apracticallyworkingwater-closet, urinal, wash-basin, slopsink, or similar receptacle, itonly being necessary for this that water-ways shall be providedsubstantially as described. For instance, a wash-out basin for awater-closet, provided with a U-shaped passage-way to carry,

water to the top, and having perforations in the wall of the trap,substantially as shown and described in another application for a patentto be filed herewith, is within my present invention. So, also, it isnot essential that the shell A shall be cast in one piece; and withoutdeparting from the present invention in its more important features, thebasin proper may be cast in one piece with more or less of the saidshell. So, too, when the arm a is cast without the opening 10, the glasslining I) may be omitted. In this case the neck of the basin E shouldmake a water-tight connection with a flange or shoulder in the arm abeyond the line of vision from the top of the basin. Either form ofconstruction permits the basin E to be made of glass or similar materialwith out showing any seam therein.

It will be observed that the passage-way 0 opens into the passage-way(1. at a level above the dip of the trap shown at d and below theoverflowof'the trap shown at (1. order that the closet shown may beself-sealing when used with an air-tight supply-pipe substantially asdescribed in other pending applications filed by me.

I claim 1. A basin for a water-closet or similar receptacle, providedwith a U-shaped supplypipe or passage-way, one arm of which forms thedelivery-arm and enters the basin above the level of the dip or bend inthe said pipe or passage-way, substantially as described, for thepurpose specified.

2. The combination of a basin for a watercloset or similar receptaclewith an outer shell providedwith aninletpassage-wayforfiushingwater,said passageway branching within the outer shell and communicating withthe upper and lower parts of said basin, substantially as described.

3. A basin for a water-closet or similar rcceptacle, provided with asupply-pipe or passage-way which is bent orcurvedin such manner as to becapable of holding water in the bend, and is narrowed below or near thewa-' ter-closet or similar receptacle, of a U-shaped supply-pipe orpassage-way, the delivery-arm of which enters the said basin above thewa- ICO This is in ter-level of the dip or bend in said pipe orpassage-way, and the said pipe or passage-way containing a valve belowor near said level, substantially as described. a

5. A trapped basin for a water-closet or similar receptacle, providedwith a bent supply-pipe or passage-way whose delivery-arm is connectedwith the said basin both above and below the level of the seal, and hasa holding capacity below the level of the said upper connection andabove the level of the seal, substantially as described, andfor thepurpose specified.

6. The combination, with the basin and supply-pipe or passage-way of awater-closet or similar receptacle, of an intervening passage-way orchamber adapted to hold water normally to above the entrance therein ofsaid supply-pipe, sufficient to check the direct, flow of the flushingstream before overflowing, substantially as described.

7. A basin for a water-closet or similar receptacle, provided with aninlet for an'upper and an inlet for a lower flushing, the inlet for theupper flushing having an enlargement or retarding-chamber, substantiallyas described.

8. The combination, with the basin of a ter-closet or similarreceptacle, provided with a trap, of a passageway for a flushing-stream,whose inlet end communicates with the said trap below the water-level,and is provided with small holes, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the basin of a water-closet or similarreceptacle, provided with a trap, of a passage-way for aflushingstream,whose inlet end communicates with the said trap, near thebottom thereof and below the water-level, in a general direction towardthe overflow, and is provided with small holes, the aggregate area ofwhich is less than that of a cross-section of said passage-way,

V substantially as described.

in a portion of the wall separating the interior of said basin from saidpipe or passage-way,

the combined area of said perforations being substantially less than thearea of a cross-section of said pipe or passageway, substantially asdescribed.

12. The combination, with a supply-pipe or passage-way, of a basin for awater-closet or similar receptacle, which has a portion of the wallseparating its interior from said supplypine or passage-way thickenedand provided with holes, substantially as described, for the purposespecified.

13. The combination, with a basin for a water-closet or similarreceptacle, provided with a fiushingrim and a passage-way around theupper portion of the basin, beneath the flushing-rim, of aventilating-pipe entering said.

passageway under the flushing-rim, substantially as described.

14. The combination of the shell A and basin E with tube D, the saidbasin and the said tube so united that the joint 1) between them 'iswithout the line of vision from the top of said basin, substantially asdescribed.

15. The combination, with the shell A, provided with the hollow arm orpassage-way a, of the basin E in such manner as to form the passage-waya, substantially as described.

16. The combination, with the outer shell, A, provided with the arm a,of the basin E, formed in one piece, audits neck or narrowed portionterminating within the arm a beyond the line or"- vision from the top ofthe basin, substantially as described.

17. The combination, with an outer shell or casing provided with inletand outlet passageways forming a trap, of a basin for a watercloset orsimilar receptacle, whereby a passage-way is formed between said shelland said basin for an upper flushing, said last-men tioned passage-waycommunicating with said trap below the level of the overflow, and thebottom of said basin opening into said trap, substantially as described.7

JOHN PIOKERING PUTNAM. Witnesses:

XV. XV. SWAN, WM. S. ROGERS.

